The estranged husband of a Connecticut woman who disappeared after dropping her children off for school in May has been arrested and charged with murder.
Connecticut State Police announced that Fotis Dulos has been charged with capital murder, murder and kidnapping in the disappearance of Jennifer Dulos, an investigation that has rocked the New Canaan community. His girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, was charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
Local media aired footage of Dulos leaving his home in a caravan of police cars. Later in the afternoon, police could be seen escorting Dulos in handcuffs into a squad car and transporting him to jail.
"I haven't seen the warrant yet, but it's my understanding that Mr Dulos was just arrested and charged with the crimes of murder as to his wife, Jennifer Dulos," his lawyer, Norm Pattis, told WFSB immediately after the arrest.
The lawyer maintained his client's innocence, saying, "I'll be surprised if they can win it. Mr Dulos contends he was not involved, and I don't think the evidence will show that he was."
Bail was set at US$6 million for Dulos and US$2 million for Troconis. Both were scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow.
"We're prepared to defend this case," a lawyer for Troconis, Andrew Bowman, told reporters.
Jennifer Dulos' marriage had disintegrated years before her disappearance, and the couple was in the process of divorcing when she disappeared.
"I am afraid for my safety," she said in a sworn affidavit from June 2017 obtained by Fox 61. Dulos alleged that her husband had "exhibited irrational, unsafe, bullying, threatening and controlling behaviour."
She described an unstable relationship, with her five children caught in a fierce struggle and her husband harbouring a slew of "sickening revenge fantasies" against others, including a reference to dropping a brick on a former client's home from an airplane.
Fotis Dulos had a Greek passport in the past, and Jennifer Dulos wrote that she was concerned that her children would be taken to Greece. In 2017, she moved into a rental home after Fotis Dulos said his girlfriend and her daughter would live together in the family home.
Dulos dropped off her children to school on May 24 - then vanished. The disappearance triggered a massive search of New Canaan involving drones, K-9s and state police. Her car was discovered by police shortly after, though she was not inside.
In early June, police found Jennifer Dulos' blood on discarded clothing in various locations, including in Hartford. Police said they had video of Fotis Dulos dumping garbage bags. Blood was also found in Jennifer Dulos' home.
At the time, Fotis Dulos was arrested with Troconis on charges of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and hindering prosecution. Both pleaded not guilty to the charges in June. Troconis had been free on bail since June 3, while Fotis Dulos posted bail a few days later, the Hartford Courant reported. Today a court set his bail at US$6 million and Troconis's at US$2 million.
Carrie Luft, a friend of Jennifer Dulos', issued a statement on behalf of the family, NBC Connecticut reported.
"Although we are relieved that the wait for these charges is over, for us there is no sense of closure," she said. "Nothing can bring Jennifer back. We miss her every day and will forever mourn her loss."
"We believe the arrest warrants will speak for themselves, and we ask that you please respect our privacy during this time. Thank you."